Was this pothole in Sutton on Sea the biggest in the area?

Councillor Stephen Palmer found the pothole in Crabtree Lane, Sutton on Sea.

Published:16:04Thursday 28 April 2016

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Lincolnshire County Council repaired what is claimed to be the biggest pothole in Sutton on Sea - just hours after the Leader contacted them about the problem.

Sutton on Sea county councillor Stephen Palmer told the Leader about the pothole in Crabtree Lane.

He said that after measuring the pothole, he believes it was the biggest he’d ever seen in the resort.

Coun Palmer said the pothole was three feet across and five inches deep and was a hazard to vehicles - including caravans.

He explained: “When I went out to measure the pothole, it was one of three deep holes in this bit of road and was on a bend - located at the entrance to the old railway walk.

“It was situated on an unclassified road but one which is much used, especially now that the holiday season is rapidly approaching and there are caravan sites along its length.

“I wonder if is the biggest pothole in the area?

“I have reported this hole to the (county council) highways system and I now have a report number. I would encourage everyone to report dangerous potholes to highways - no matter what class of road.”

Coun Palmer said he understood the council’s priority is repairing potholes on busier roads - leaving minor routes to wait longer - no matter how large the hole is. As the Leader went to press yesterday (Tuesday), the County Council said the pothole had already been filled in.

Dean Myhill, area highways manager, said: “We inspect all roads on a regular basis and once we are aware of a pothole, we try to quickly go out and inspect it.

“Then we prioritise in terms of the degree of safety risk, then in terms of route - where is it situated in the road - and what type of road is it on, and finally, whether it has an impact on a large number of people.

“After assessing this pothole against our criteria, we had scheduled to repair it within four weeks but because of its size, we have increased its priority and it has now been filled in.”

Mr Myhill added: “We were named recently by the Department of Transport as one of the top performing local authorities, based on our ‘asset management approach’, which means we try to make the most of funding from the Government by having an understanding of the network and carrying out permanent road repairs at the right time.

“We’ve also received an extra £1.8million to specifically help us tackle potholes – this should allow us to repair an extra 34,000.

“We do rely on members of the public to report potholes to us. So if you spot one, please report it online at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/highways reporting or call 01522 782070.”

1 Have you seen a pothole in the area bigger than the one Coun Palmer found? Email: chloe.west@jpress.co.uk